MOVIE REVIEW: TOGETHER

 

After moving to the countryside, a supernatural encounter starts to transform a couple's love, their lives, and their flesh.

Director: Michael Shanks

Cast: Dave Franco, Alison Brie, Damon Herriman, Mia Morrissey

Release Date: July 30, 2025

Genre: Comedy, Horror, Romance, Sci-Fi

Rated R for violent/disturbing content, sexual content, graphic nudity, language and brief drug content.

Runtime: 1h 42m

Review:

Together is devilishly funny bit of body horror sprinkled with bits of rom-com which works better if you don't think about the story too much and focus on stellar turns from Dave Franco and Alison Brie.  Writer/Director Michael Shanks leaves quite an impression in his directorial debut by delivering an equal balance of visceral frights and relationship humor that hits more often than not.  He judiciously utilizes a series of well timed jump scares scattered throughout to give you a sense that something horrific could be lurking in the deepest recess of your nightmares.  Long overhead shots take full advantage of the scenic setting but there's something just slightly off that keeps everything unsettling.  Casting real life husband and wife proves to be a masterstroke since Franco and Brie bring an air of authenticity to their relationship.  Their interchanges will likely sound familiar to anyone who's been in a long term relationship.  Alison Brie takes full advantage of her talents here as we get the full spectrum of her character's traits which swing from sweet but mildly passive aggressive to cuttingly acidic in the blink of eye.  Dave Franco is equally impressive as her boyfriend, who's clearly used to be overshadowed and domineered by the time we meet him. Their relationship reeks of the worst kind of toxic codependency with neither being able to take the final step and just leave.  Even as things get increasingly insane there's something relatable about their endless cycle of arguments and reconciliations that leaves neither happy.  The allegory here is about as blunt as they come as they literally become unable to leave each other as we witness a series of increasingly grotesques encounters.  The script doesn't concern itself too much with why this has happened to them which feels like Shanks might have painted himself into a corner, ultimately deciding to just avoid a  tangible of explanation altogether.  It’s, ultimately, a minor complaint because Together works on so many levels thanks to strong direction and performances from its central duo. 

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: BETTER MAN

 

The true story of the meteoric rise, dramatic fall, and remarkable resurgence of British pop superstar Robbie Williams.

Director: Michael Gracey

Cast: Robbie Williams, Jonno Davies, Steve Pemberton, Kate Mulvany, Alison Steadman, Damon Herriman

Release Date: December 25, 2024

Genre: Biography, Fantasy, Musical

Rated R for drug use, pervasive language, sexual content, nudity and some violent content.

Runtime: 2h 15m

Review:

Better Man is a rare music biopic that shakes up the standard formula to deliver something much more emotionally authentic and impactful even though Robbie Williams' role is played by CGI simian.  Your familiarity with Williams' life and career isn't much of an issue as Michael Gracey delivers an engaging and fanciful musical trek through his life's highs and lows.  The choice to use a CGI monkey, a blunt metaphor to say the least, is initially jarring but it becomes surprisingly digestible as the film goes on.  It’s a fully realized creation thanks to a confluence of technical wizardry, excellent motion capture/voice work from Jonno Davies and Williams to create a living, breathing character.  They are capable of ringing out a full range of emotions throughout the film such as Williams’ persistent self-doubt and increasingly detached sense of self as his fame grows.  The unfiltered honesty that is offered up is truly impressive, reflective of the passion behind the project.  The film's large musical sequences as just as inventive and effective with each bringing a different emotion to the screen ranging from sheer jubilation to deep heartbreak.  A raging internal battle is visualized during the peak of Williams popularity highlighted by his performance at Knebworth which brutal sense of devastation laid bare onscreen.  It’s one of the bolder choices that shouldn't work as well as it does, serving as a testament to overall craftmanship on display.  There are a few issues with the supporting characters which are far more one-dimensional and underwritten, leaving his parents and Nicole Appleton feeling underserved by the script.  It’s one of the few missteps the film makes but that doesn't keep Better Man from being an impressive achievement in the genre.

A-